SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2464, 28 February 1882, Page 3

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuesday, Ebbbt/abt 28

The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held at 10.30 a.m. Present—Messrs E. JT. Lee (chairman), H. J. Mathias, J. D. Enys, F. Jones, D. McMillan, H. W. Peryman, B. Westenra and Dunlop. The Chairman said—l have reoeived a letter from the Chief Surveyor in reference to the petition reoently sent to the Government requesting an alteration of the boundaries between the Selwjn and Akaroa counties. Mr Baker suggests a modification of the proposed new boundary. I have communicated with the Halswell Road Board on the subject, but have not yet received any reply. The Commissioner of Crown Lands has sent me in a copy of a letter from the City Council on the subject of Beserve No. 107, for which the Council at its last meeting decided to apply to the Government. A circular letter has been reoeived from the Southland County Council requesting the 00-operation of the Council in an application to the Government to restore the subsidies and grants from the land revenue. I have applied to the Treasury for further information as to the amount charged to the county on account of hospitals, oharitable aid, &0., but as yet without any suooess. Acoompanied by Mr Jones, two members of the Biccarton Boad Board and the surveyor to that Board, I have inspected the bridges in the Park known as the Feudalton and Helmore's bridges. They are in a very dangerous state, and require immediate attention. I requested Mr Ell et> Bead in a report and estimate of re-building or reinstating their, which will be laid before you. Half the cost of the work will devolve upon the Council. The usual report of the engineer to the Hororata water race has been received, also suggestions as to the distribution of the water. After conferring with the engineer, I have accepted Mr Darrook's offer to convey free of cost the land required for the race across the corner of his Beotion. As requested at the last meeting, Mr Dobson has been asked to report upon the possibility and probable cost of supplying water to the residents in the Greendale distriot, and his report will be laid before you. Mr Davies has accepted the appointment offered to him at the last meeting and entered upon his duties. An agreement with him has been ' prepared by the solicitor, and I will ask you to appoint two members of the Council to execute the same. The returns of the dogs registered in tbe different districts so far as received show that up to the present time not more than half the number of dogs have been registered that were registered during the same period last year, and it will be necessary to take stringent measures to enforce compliance with the law. Offers have been received from persons willing to undertake the duties of rangers, and it will be for you to consider the advioableness of making suoh appointments. A petition has been received from the Upper Waimakariri respecting shepherds' dogs. The monthly report of the inspector of slaughterhouses will be laid before you, and also the applications for licenses. The Connoil first prooeeded to consider the question of the alteration of boundaries between the Selwyn and Akaroa oounties, and it was resolved to await the further oommuioation from the Halswell Boad Board. With respect to the Beserve No. 107 a letter was read from the City Counoil giving a history of the reserve sought to be obtained for the oity whioh was originally reserved for an abattoir adjoining the Sandhills B;serve of the Oity Oounoil. The latter desired to have the reserve handed over to them for tho purpose for whioh it was reserved, as they were of opinion that the time would shortly arrive when the city would require an abattoir.

Mr Jones said that he thought the reserve should be vested in the Belwyn County Council, and he felt inclined to move—" That the Government bo requested to vest the Raaerve No. 107 in the Selwyn County Oounoil." Mr Mathias thought it would be better for the Council to postpone any discission on the matter till their waa more information before them. Mr Peryman said that he thought it would be advisable to consult their solicitor. Mr Jones contended that, despite the olaim of the City Council, the Selwyn County Council had an interest in this reserve, and it was their duty to repreßent this to the Government. Some further diaoussion ensued, ana ultimately Mr Jones moved—" That this Council considers that it has a claim to the Reserve No. 107 on account of the dietriot in whioh it is situate, and that they press this claim on the Government." _ Some further conversational disousßion took place, and finallv the fo'lowing resolution wbb adopted, viz :—" That with regard to Reserve 107 te'. apart for an abattoir reserve, it is the opinion of this Council that it was not made exclusively for the benefit of the city of Christohuroh, and that it ehould be vested in the Selwyn County Council, to be retained for the purpose for which it was originally Bet With respeot to the oiroular from the Southland County Counoil respecting the

raatoration of subsidies the Oounoil deoided to reply—" That the Oounoil »g'*« wi . th tne Southland County Oounoil as to the advisableness of the restoration of the subsidies, Bnd that the chairman communicate with the Government to that effect." The Chairman laid he had not reoeived any reply from the Government with reference to the question of the contribution of the Oounoil to hospitals, charitable aid, &0., from the Council. Mr Jameson had prepared a very useful return, whioh showed that from June, 1879, the total contribution from Canterbury for hospitals, oharitable aid, &s., had been £50,550, the amount paid by that Oounoil during the same period being £11,252, which appeared to be a very large proportion, being no less than 22 per cent, of the whole. If no subsidy oame to the City Oounoil, for instance, the Selwyn County Oounoil would, if their subsidy oould bear it, have to pay the whole amount of contribution. Mr Dunlop said that the Avon riding contributed £I6OB, and the Eeathoote riding £1226 of the total amonnt. He intended to move that the Oounoil prooeed to allooate the expenditure over the county on a population basis. At present it was most unfair to those districts which paid heavy rates, because their contribution was larger than those in whioh little or no rates were raised ; thus the support of hospitals and oharitable aid was thrown upon those districts wko paid the largest amount of local taxation. After a lengthy disouision of a desultory nature it was resolved that a sub-committee be appointed to draft a memorial to the Government, asking that the subject of contribution to hospitals, oharitable aid, &0., be placed upon a more satisfactory basis, and pointing out the very unsatisfactory financial arrangements whioh now exist, such subcommittee to consist of the chairman, Messrs Westenra and Jones.

The question of the Park bridges was next discussed. The Chairman read the report of M> Ellis on the oondition of the two Park bridges, and estimate for replacing them. The report stated that the Fendaltown bridge was in a very bad state, some of the piles being much decayed, and it was recommended that it be replaced by an ironbark pile bridge, at a oost of £2lO. The cost of repairing the bridge would be £65. With regard to Helmore'a bridge, that was reported as being " suspended on its braces," and was in a most dilapidated state. Mr Ellis suggested a twospan ironbark bridge at a oost of £290, as no repairs oould be effected to this bridge. It was resolved that the report of the surveyor to the Bicoarton Road Board be approved, and that the Board be requested at onco to prepare plans and specifications for new bridges on the Fendaltown and Helmore roads, acoording to the report of the surveyor for submission to the Oounoil, care being taken not to ourtail the waterway. The report of the engineer to the Hororata water race was read. It was resolved that Mr Drummond be warned that if he persisted in taking water from the race, he would be proceeded against under the Act. The olerk was instructed to communicate with the solioitor, requesting him to draw up by-laws for the water raoe in conjunction with Mr Dobson. It was resolved to postpone the appointment of a permanent race keeper for the present. A report on the Greendale water supply was read from Messrs Dobson and Son, stating that in their opinion the simplest and least expensive method of supplying the Greendale distriot between the Hawkins and Homebush oreek would be to put in a branch from the Malvern race, carrying it across the Hawkins by a flume. The distriot between Homebush creek and the Selwyn could be supplied by

putting in a dam on the Selwyn and bringing down a race. The works, however, would be very costly in comparison to the extent of the district supplied. Messrs Mathias and McMillan contended that the report had gone beyond the resolution of the Oounoil. Mr Jones moved that the report be referred to Mr Dobson, with a request that he would meet Mr MoMillan on the spot. The Chairman and Mr Mathias were appointed to sign the agreement with the overseer of the Malvern water raoe. With respect to the registration of dogs, the clerk reported that Messrs Hawkins and Douglas had stated they were willing to undertake the duties of rangers under the Dog Registration Act. It was deoided that Mr Douglas be appointed, subject to the consent of the Acclimatisation Society. With regard to the exemption of shepherds' dogs, it was resolved that the Oounoil cannot grant the exemption as requested, viz., payment for two dogs in a shepherd's following, and all the rest to go free. The monthly report of the inspeotor of slaughter-houses was read, and a lioense granted to Mr Mullins, Halswell, provided that the chairman is satisfied as to the slaughter-house not being too close to the Biver Halswell. That of Mr Job Horwell was left to the chairman.

Mr Dunlop brought under the notice of the Council tee faot that the boundary of the seoeding portion of the Avon diatriot, to the Riccarton dietriot, had by mistake been gazetted ai the western side of the North road, instead of the of>ntre, which threw the wnole cost of keeping the North road in repair on to the Avon district. It was resolved to communicate with the Government to the effect that the boundary of tbe seceding part of the district had by mistake been gazetted as the western side of the North load, instead of the centre, as agreed upon, and asking that the same be rectified.

After passing several acoounts the Counoil adjourned.